Believe in magic
by Kinky Kat
Summary: Billy/Teddy One-shot Fluff. Everyone knows how the story goes: the boys meet, they fell in love and become superheroes and best friends sometime in between. This is just one of those stories that gives a glimpse of the beginning to all that. When the flirting had still been awkward and the superpowers needed to be mastered.


A.N: First time writing for this fandom, though I love the Young Avengers since some time. And Billy and Teddy deserve all love in the world for being so awesome.

* * *

Billy was sure of it. To others he was just full of awkward hand gestures and fidgeting feet and stupid murmurs when he finally decided to open his mouth. He could see it in their eyes and in the way they held their shoulders when regarding him. They would snap at him any second now. Ted looked like he would go all green and menacing, Nate seemed as if he would open a portal up any second now and return home to the future, because it was so hopeless; and Eli was already yelling at Billy, demanding from him to finally master the damn lightning zapping powers.

And Billy really didn't want to make problems for them – his _teammates_ – because they accepted him despite the fact he had a costume with a_ cape_ and couldn't do much more than zapping unsuspecting people in their asses with electricity. And usually those unsuspecting people were said teammates, but it really wasn't Billy's fault – it was very distracting to stand next to them and fight in the simulation program.

He wasn't a fighter in the first place. Hell, he felt so out of place since Nate introduced them to each other, he would much rather run away than join a superhero team. Though he had to admit, Nate sure had his way with convincing people and he was from the future so he had to know _better_ whether Billy would be an asset to the team or not. Billy trusted him and even though he regretted the decision almost immediately, he was having fun.

He was on a team of _superheroes_. Really, how much cooler could he get?

And yeah, he was still his scrawny, nerdy self, only with a _cape_, _headset_ and a _staff_, while the others had real superpowers, **useful** superpowers and much more cooler outfits. And if asked, Billy would swear he was watching them so intently because of the clothes, really. Not because he thought they were easy on the eye. Nope, none of that.

So maybe Eli had a quite nice build, especially when he was wearing his costume and he looked in it almost as good as Cap would look in his. As in mouth-drooling worthy. And maybe Nate had very nice eyes and his suit looked like it came from Tony's Stark wet dream – but it hadn't meant _anything_.

It was harder to lie about it when it came to Ted. Or _Teddy_ like Billy liked to call him in his head, because _hey_, that guy was definitely from _Billy's_ wet dream and his alone. Jock or not, he had a quite gentle smile and a warm chuckle Billy managed to catch few times when Eli said something amusing to them. And the golden hair and blue eyes and piercings just begged for Billy's attention. Not that the rest of Teddy's body wasn't doing the same. The bulky biceps and the toned chest which was exposed more than once whether Teddy's skin was white or green. Seriously, if Billy hadn't know better, he'd think the guy just hates all kinds of shirts. Also, Teddy looked ridiculously good when green.

So really, Billy wanted to stay on the team, very, _very_ much, if only for the fact he could hang out with superheroes. Very handsome superheroes. Well, Eli had a rough look, with his strong jaw and Nate was a bit like the nerdy type, but they could still be considered eye-candy material as far as Billy was concerned. But if he had to describe Teddy…

It troubled him. He couldn't decide between _hot_ and _cute_ and sometimes he thought he was _gorgeous_ and _beautiful_ and Billy wasn't comfortable with those kind of thoughts, because he wasn't sure if he was talking about Ted's looks or personality. And Ted did have a personality of a big teddy bear, as far as Billy could tell.

Now if he only could learn to control those damn lightnings...

He wasn't sure if this would actually help him, but damn if he wasn't having fun testing his theory. His reasoning was simple and in his own opinion – without flaws. Well, kind of. When he wasn't thinking about it too much. But Billy truly believed he might learn something about the power of electrokinesis – as Nate named his poor zapping skills – by reading comics.

Which lead to him visiting one of his favorite stores, one that might have been further from his home, but which was less frequented by people who would love to pick on Billy just because of his looks and not other things which made him _different_ from the rest of his peers. Being a nerd was hard. Being a Jew sometimes was as hard, even if his religious life started and ended at having different holidays and a slight change in his anatomy he didn't really think about often. Being a Jewish nerdy superhero might have been very cool, but being a Jewish, nerdy superhero who was also gay was probably making him the most unlucky being on Earth. And that was saying something.

Considering changing his name to one which would emphasize his lack of luck, he went to the comic book store and sighed with relief. There weren't many people there and the ones that were, didn't look like they came to beat somebody up. He could relax and head to the alcoves where the comics he had thought of before would be.

For starters, Billy picked few issues of old Uncanny X-men in which covered the origin of Storm – one of his all time favorite mutants by the way - but they weren't very helpful. He hoped to be more successful with Thor, because Billy himself modeled his outfit after the Asgardians. But it proved hard to just settle for few comics, when the store had so many Billy hadn't read and he kept reaching for more issues and instead of researching, he started reading the annuals in earnest. Sometimes gasping or moaning wordlessly at the plot.

"Hey."

Billy's body froze, his mind registering that he knew the voice, but he couldn't match it to a person and he almost broke into a cold sweat, when he carefully and slowly turned around to see who it was. Rationally, he should have known that the jerks from his school wouldn't be in a comic book store on the other side of the city, _duh_. But Billy was used to things happening irrationally and he wouldn't be surprised to see Kesler's friends coming up to him to beat him up in revenge.

But the familiar face he saw, smiling up at him, made him relax in an instant and he smiled in relief. Before he could stop himself, he exclaimed happily: "Teddy!"

…And that earned him a stare. And a lot of blinking. It made Billy wish the floor would swallow him. Or that he could disappear and appear at home. Teleportation was quite a superpower and he would gladly trade it for his stupid electricity-thing, which he couldn't even control.

Meanwhile, Teddy was still quiet, staring at Billy as if shocked. It looked as if he never considered Billy could call him by his name – because during the trainings he usually shouted at the other referring to him as Hulkling or by muttering out his surname when he was forced to address him.

'_Shit, Kaplan,'_ Billy thought and soon his mind was filled with a litany of curses at Teddy's bemused expression. But soon the smile returned on his lips, though it was smaller and softer now and Billy clenched his jaws, because he didn't trust himself. He might whine or even worse – say something – and he would just die from embarrassment.

"Um, yeah. Hi?" he offered, hoping his face hasn't been red or anything. He usually didn't have that much problem with talking to other people. Even guys he found attractive. And yet he could feel his stomach making pleasurable flips and a soft buzzing sound in his ears. Just because he had made an idiot out of himself already and still Ted hadn't run away from him, but stayed and smiled and it had to count for something, right? If only his stomach could settle down, he could even be happy about this situation. Scratch that, truth to be told, he was feeling happy.

And it wasn't the first time he felt like that around Ted.

Teddy chuckled and Billy finally relaxed. Teddy was keeping his hands in his pants front pockets and his stance was relaxed as he stood next to Billy, his shoulders down but not sagged. He took one of his hands out and pointed to the comics in Billy's hands, his look pure curiosity and amusement.

"You're a fan of Thor?"

Before Billy could argue with himself that Teddy was just being polite and not really interested, he quickly shook his head, "No, I just figured out it might help. I like Scarlet Witch the most. She's like the best, really and very sweet when you get to know her and you won't believe me but…" Finally his brain caught up with what he was saying and his eyes, which up to this point were glued to the comics, glanced uncertainly up and yet again, he had to clench his jaw, because, damn. _Teddy was beautiful when grinning openly at him_.

"Yeah, she's quite good. You think these will help with your power control?" Billy opted for nodding and Teddy continued in a soft voice. "Maybe I could help you with that? My skin is rather thick when I want it to be, so your attacks don't hurt that much," his eyes twinkled and Billy wanted to kind of scream and he hoped _so much_,_ right now_ for the lights to go out in the store so Teddy wouldn't notice-

They both started, hearing the quiet blow and then everything turned dark. Few people screamed and others started murmuring.

"Whoa," Teddy whispered.

"Angh, what?" Billy said at the same time, confused, because despite everything being dark, he was enveloped in light blue light. He glanced at his arms, which shook and the light shook with them before disappearing.

There were no lightnings though.

They were alone in an alcove, so nobody but them saw the small light show, but Billy still felt nausea filling up his stomach. Without thinking, he slipped down to the floor, sitting down on it and crossing his ankles.

"B.?" came the quiet, worried question and suddenly it was too much for Billy to even think.

He made a chocking sound and Teddy must have crouched or knelt, because soon enough, his hand was hovering over Billy's knee. Not touching but close enough for Billy to feel its presence.

"Billy, what… What was that?" Teddy's voice stayed quiet and laced with worry.

"I-I don't know," Billy rasped out and resisted the urge to move his legs because he would surely made an embarrassing sound if Ted had actually touched him, even involuntarily. "I wished it would go dark and it sort of happened? I made my own wish come true."

He wanted it to be a joke, but he couldn't even fake a laugh. Now when he voiced his thoughts, he felt panic rising in his gut. It was true – he wanted for the lights to explode so Ted wouldn't see his blush he felt creeping up his cheeks and in the next moment something blown up and they were surrounded in darkness. Even though Billy had the soft glowing light surrounding only him. He wasn't blushing though.

"Why would you wish…" Teddy hesitated and sighed. "Never mind. Had it happened before?"

"No. I usually only zap people with lightnings if you haven't noticed by now," Billy responded and blinked as the light in the store had been restored and people were starting clapping and moving around again, their voices much louder. Billy remained seated on the floor, with Teddy next to him, eying him worryingly, biting down on his lower lip.

"Okay," Teddy said in an authoritative tone. "I have most of these issues at home, I'll lend them to you, so leave them and come with me." As he was speaking, he pulled the comics from Billy's lap – _'Oh God, where the hell is his hand going, is he-oh. Right. Comics.'_ – and then grabbed Billy at his elbows and easily lifted him up, helping him stand.

Billy was still rather shocked and a bit shaken – but at least he wasn't running away, because he hadn't nearly killed anyone – so he let Teddy push him out of the store and up the street. He was still hearing the soft buzzing sound in his ears and he glanced at one of his hands from time to time, remembering the blue light.

At one point of time he blinked and his eyes widened, when he realized why he was glancing at only one hand. His other one was securely held by Teddy, who was a half-step before him, tugging at his arm gently, guiding him. His hand was warm and the hold wasn't very strong so if Billy had really wanted to, he could easily slip it out from Ted's grasp.

He didn't want to.

He squeaked though, almost tripped when Teddy glanced at him, alarmed and worried at the sound and Billy wanted to ask him if he's real, because it seemed like he was stuck in a dream or something. Because normal attractive, hot as hell and wonderful and funny and gentle guys weren't holding hands with guys like Billy.

And judging from the loud snort Teddy gave, Billy had just said it out loud. He squeaked again feeling his face grow hot and Teddy pulled him closer, so they were walking at the same pace, side-by-side and holding hands.

"You know that one time we swore you were levitating?" Teddy asked when Billy ducked his head down and watched their feet moving at the same time like synchronized. He hummed and nodded his head, sure Teddy was looking at him in the corner of his eye. If it had been a dream, he wanted to stay still and keep dreaming because this felt way too good.

"We talked about it and Nate agrees with me. Electrokinesis isn't your only power. I think you can do magic," he squeezed Billy's hand and the other gasped and snapped his head back, because he wouldn't felt that if he had been asleep and stared. Teddy offered him an easy smile. "I'm sure of it."

"Um, what? No," he shook his head. "If I could do magic, I would order it to make my aim perfect so I could actually zap what I want," Billy nodded his head seriously. "Yeah and I would totally use my staff as a wand and I don't really think it would work because that thing is huge and spells need to be very precise, you know?"

"Yes, I like Harry Potter too." Teddy answered and Billy groaned, because he was not getting the point. So he knew he had to explain it to Ted.

"The point is, I am not a magician."

Teddy elbowed him lightly and to do so, he pulled Billy closer to him, so their sides slid against each other, Billy's hand trapped between Teddy's chest and his hand. "We'll make one of you," he whispered and it sounded like a promise and Billy could see something close to affection reflected in Teddy's blue eyes.

He really felt like he could do anything with those eyes watching him like that and he thought he could even fly and he yelped as his hands glowed in blue and the ground has been yanked from under him, or rather he went up and he was flying and-

And Teddy was not letting him go, smiling tenderly, eyes twinkling, the blue light shimmering in them, even when Billy landed, he still wouldn't let go of him. It was all right, because Billy, feeling more courageous than he ever had, has been entwining their fingers together and Ted's hand didn't seem so big to him any longer.

Of course Billy wondered more than once if it had been his imagination that he felt Teddy's eyes on him so often during the training simulations. He wondered if he was feeling and seeing things and daydreaming instead of focusing on his powers. So he tried shifting his attention to Eli and Nate, when all he wanted was to look at Teddy and talk to him and be close to him. Simple as that.

So he allowed the other to take him up the stairs to a nice looking flat, where a smiling woman welcomed them. And he tried his best not to whimper and blush – and failed at both rather miserably - when Teddy introduced him to his mother, Ms. Altman.

"This is Billy," he gestured at him with a grin. "You know, I told you about _him_."

She nodded and her eyes twinkled in the same way Teddy's did. "Yes you did. The friend," she grinned, "Who is a boy. The _Boy-friend_."

Teddy's grin just got wider to match the one his mother was wearing as he glanced back at Billy. "Something like that."

Surely but slowly, Billy was starting to believe in magic.


End file.
